Tales of Graces n
by Sweet Kagamine Kiss
Summary: Two missing children vanished one day; the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan and Konoha's secret (it's Jinchūriki). Four years later, they returned home. But for them, it has been eleven years. They apparently had quite the adventure...
1. Four Years? Try Eleven!

**Tales of Graces n**

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto is the owner and creator of the world of Naruto, and all of its official characters. Namco Bandai Games/Namco Tales Studio and Hideo Baba are owner and creator of the world of Tales of Graces, and all its official characters. I do not own anything else forgotten in this disclaimer.

**Author's Note:** Tales of Graces. Some may call it an overlooked title in North America if you're looking for great JRPG titles to own. Of course, the Tales series is considered niche to us English speaking gamers. This was an odd idea that came to me... I doubt it would make much sense but hey, I've written stranger stories before. Have you seen my dream-turned-story?

* * *

Konohagakure no Sato, of Hi no Kuni; it was one of the Five Great Ninja Villages of the Elemental Nations. Eleven years ago, Konoha was attacked one night by one of the strongest of the Tailed Beasts known to humans, the Kyuubi no Yōko. No one knew just why exactly the demonic fox appeared over Konoha and begun its destructive attack, but all shinobi took to arms to defend their home valiantly, led by the Sandaime Hokage: Hiruzen Sarutobi. Finally, as the fox was about weakened and many lives lost in the defense of the village, the current Hokage, the Yondaime, Minato Namikaze, appeared with the Boss of the Toad Clan, Gamabunta, and attacked the fox, eventually sacrificing his life into defeating the beast and sealing it away into the body of an infant child. This child would be named Naruto Uzumaki.

However, the true story behind this edited tale was that Minato was with his wife Kushina Uzumaki, in a location hidden by the village, tending to his wife who was giving birth to their son. Suddenly, a masked assailant penetrated the hidden cave, killed all the ANBU stationed there by the Hokage, the mid-wife Biwako, and the nurses and doctors, before taking a recently born Naruto hostage. Minato rescued his newborn son, but the masked man vanished with his wife. The seal weakened by the birthing, the sealed tailed beast was released to the outside world and the masked man used his Sharingan to hypnotize the beast and sent it on a destructive rampage against Konoha. After fighting the masked man to a stalemate, he and a recovering but still weak Kushina left together to save Konoha...

Naruto Uzumaki regardless would become an orphan after the sealing of the tailed demon, his true origins hidden from the many enemies of Minato and Kushina within the village and outside it, but would grow up neglected, and hated because he was (unknown to the aging child) the village's Jinchūriki.

One day, at the age of seven, he would steal something from the village's library and thieve it away to his secret location within the village the villagers don't know of. He was not alone. Two years prior, he met a young girl named Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan, saving her from a bunch of bullies who were from civilian families. This kind act would bind Hinata to Naruto as a friend, even though she was very shy. Although she would eventually be led away by a servant of the Branch Family of the Hyuuga Clan, that servant would silently acknowledge Naruto's rescue of the heiress.

When Naruto discovered what exactly he had taken, he didn't know what to make of it. He did not know that it was an fūinjutsu that was completely unknown and could never be deciphered or decoded, even by a sealings expert like the Toad Sannin, Jiraiya. Some would say it was stupid to mess around with things you never knew of. Naruto, having been alone most of his young life, knowing little of love or kindness, was never taught of the dangers of the world. The inner chakra within him reacted to the seal, and a large glyph of runes surrounded Naruto, stirring the hiding Hinata into coming out, to yell at Naruto to get away because of the immense force of power emanating from the runes. The light penetrates the very skies, seen from all over the village and beyond it. But as quickly as the light shows began, it vanished. The first ninjas to arrive with the Hokage would only discover burned remains of a scroll, a pair of green goggles, and the burned patch insignia of the Hyuuga Clan.

Yes, Naruto and Hinata, young children, vanished from their world entirely. Their disappearance would soon become known when the Hokage would not be able to find head or hair of Naruto, and Hiashi, the Clan Head, would discover that his first-born daughter was missing. It was four years ago the two vanished after the mysterious light show in the middle of Konoha.

In the other world, they ended up in the outskirts of a bustling town called Lhant, discovered when the flash of light was seen by Lord Lhant. Naruto and Hinata would be taken back to the town before any stray monsters dare attack them. They would eventually grow up in the town, in a new world, away from their old home. Naruto in this world would discover the adults did not hate him here. Hinata would stay very close to Naruto during this time. They would befriend Asbel, Hubert, and Cheria, and have all sorts of adventures with the three children until the fated day Asbel and Hubert went to the cliffs, and found an amnesiac girl in the field of flowers...

And on that day the amnesiac girl was discovered, it was the day their adventure would begin... an adventure eleven years in the making, to _Know the Strength to Protect_.

=0=0=0=0=

It was four years ago today, a week before the next generation of ninja would graduate from the Konoha Ninja Academy, that very same light show that erupted in the center of the village happened again, and all active ninja Jōnin rank and ANBU converged to the same spot. Some were with the Hokage, ready to defend their leader, while the ANBU hid within the foliage of the trees.

This time the light show left behind two young adults...

The first person was male, and has cerulean blue eyes and shaggy blond hair. The costume the blond stranger wore consisted of a black shirt with matching detached sleeves that exposes the stomach, black cargo pants and gloves with red highlights along the oversized collars, and partially-armored shoes with similar red highlights on the double buckled boot collars. Multiple black leather belts cross the upper torso area, sleeves, and the thighs in a one layered fashion, and an additional two large belts in an X fashion around the waist in which each belt has a type of large weapon holster for each hip side containing a golden handle with red jeweled pommel. Strapped across the back was a decorative-looking silver and gold-plated ji with a double curved red blade. Because the midriff area was exposed to the elements, many of the ANBU and Jōnin could see a type of black decorative tattoo designing on the firm muscular stomach. Only few would realize this was the sealing design that housed the Kyuubi no Yōko. (This was the Haseo "The World R:X – 1st Form" Costume.)

The second person was female, with waist-length plum hair and very light lavender pupiless eyes. The costume the girl wore consists of a pair of complete black pantyhose or stocking that completely covers the legs up to the waist, dark lavender leather-styled boots with cauliflower blue bands around the feet area, and a type of open-style jinbei lavender jacket with short triangular pauldron attachments. The jacket is tied shut just under her rather impressive-sized bust, secured by a pink obi with dual twin ribbons that reach to the knees. The exposed cleavage of her breasts is held secured by a type of white bra. Black stocking covers her arms completely, with detached dark lavender leather sleeves covering the forearms similar to what makes up a portion of her boots, extending down into a half-open style glove extension. Blue bracelets are secured in place, and her hands are mostly bare. Holstered at her hips were two large bladed silver rings with intricate gold runic designs along the surface, commonly called chakrams. (This was the Sheena Fujibayashi "Tales of Symphonia" Costume.)

It was the blond male that those of the older generation would swear looked like their Yondaime Hokage (with a leather fetish).

"I can't believe it worked," said the unidentified male who eerily resembled Minato Namikaze.

"Well, Pascal said it would have been very experimental," said the young woman.

"Experimental my ass... I'm glad we didn't end up in another universe or something with what she built in three weeks," the young man retorts.

"Three weeks with little sleep, Naruto," reminded the girl.

"Only because you made sure she didn't crash and accidently cause her invention to blow up, Hinata," the boy responds in turn.

"And for three weeks Pascal was busy with the strange Eleth glyph that brought us to the outskirts of Lhant, all you did was get Asbel and Cheria in varying situations where they would finally admit to one another the love they held for each other."

"Hey... it worked in the end, didn't it?" he defends himself.

And the look she gave Naruto made him flinch back. It was the look that wives and girlfriends instinctively know to intimidate their husbands/boyfriends.

"Meddler," she calls Naruto.

"Now, it's not my fault that I got tired of seeing Asbel and Cheria skirt each other's feelings growing up in Lhant, and throughout our adventure as adults traveling the world and saving Prince Richard from Lambda's influence. If the others weren't going to do something about it – although I had a feeling Pascal would have helped – I did something about it first. Hubert found it funny."

And Naruto gets a smack to the back of the head.

The Hokage heard enough of this weird conversation, filing away the listed names in his mind, and clears his throat. He noted immediately of how tense they became, as the golden handles were torn from their holsters and strangely-shaped daggers were held in a ready attack position, while the rings were grasped and the girl (Sarutobi firmly believed was a Hyuuga due to the eyes) moved closer to the young man.

The tense moment passed, as the two young adults realized their surroundings, and although their strange weapons were lowered, they did not drop their guard. Their posture spoke volumes of real world experience, of battle experience.

"Naruto... it's the old Hokage," murmured Hinata.

"The old man? I would have believed he croaked eleven years ago, Hinata," Naruto whispered back.

Sarutobi blatantly ignored this quip at his old age. Besides, the Tsuchikage was older than him...

Sarutobi walked up first, and two of his ANBU guards followed but stood behind him. Naruto stared back, as the old Hokage examined him. The old man couldn't believe just how eerily similar the young man resembled Minato. It was very scary...

"Naruto?"

Naruto smiled a bit. "Hey, old man... it's been eleven years since we disappeared, huh? I blame that weird seal glyph I childishly thieved from the library a long time ago."

"It is you... you're... older..."

Hinata blushed a bit as Naruto pulls an arm around her, and like a lover would, yank her next to his body.

"Yeah... I'm glad my voice finally cracked when puberty struck. God, I couldn't believe how squeaky I sounded back as a kid. I like my mature voice now. So does Hinata."

The Hokage gave a hidden signal behind his back, telling all shinobi to stand down. The Hokage frowned a bit, however.

"Naruto, it's been only four years since you and Hinata-san vanished from the village after that weird flash of light," Sarutobi informed the two now young adults.

"Sorry Lord Hokage, but for us... we spent eleven years in Ephinea, living in the Town of Lhant after the late Lord Lhant found and took us into his home to be raised alongside his two sons Asbel and Hubert," Hinata politely interrupts.

"And spending our time in the Academy after we chased Asbel to Windor after _The Incident_," Naruto added absentmindedly.

Sarutobi raised his hand. Naruto and Hinata went quiet.

"I believe there's a great story to tell considering you're much older than you should for being missing for four years," said the old Hokage. "Come, we'll talk more in my office."

Naruto and Hinata exchanged silent glances with their eyes, before the weapons are sheathed. But as they walk into the village's busier section en-route to the Hokage Tower, the old man noted they two still did not drop their defensive guard. It was as if they expected to be attacked at any moment...

=0=0=0=0=

Now in the office, and the village no longer on lockdown, Sarutobi requested some of his strongest tears to be brought up o the office in five minutes, before fiddling around with his smoking pipe, adding some of his favorite tobacco into it.

"So... how old are you, currently?" the Hokage asks first.

"We're currently eighteen years old, and we're both former Royal Knights of the Barona Knight Academy of Windor."

Royal Knights? They were once aligned to a kingdom?

"Why don't you start from the beginning... staring with this fūinjutsu that you admittedly stolen from the library, Naruto?" requests Sarutobi.

And the next three hours, the story that Naruto and Hinata took turns, telling of an experience they had in this apparent other world, called Ephinea, and the three divided countries: Windor, Stratha, and Fendel. The story of the rest of their childhood spent in the town of Lhant, taken in by a kind lord and raised a part of his family, and the day when the lord's two sons, Asbel and Hubert, went to a flower field on the cliffs outside the town discovering a girl who had amnesia they decided to name Sophie.

They told of the adventures they had as children growing up, until after finding Sophie that things started to take a darker turn. Befriending the prince of Windor, Richard, they explored underground caves under the kingdom with Asbel, Cheria, Hubert, Sophie, and Richard when a monster of sorts attacked them all. Of course they had no memory of the aftermath, only that Sophie had apparently died, and Lord Lhant had given up his son Hubert to be adopted by another lord who lived in the country of Stratha when they were recovering from the ordeal. It was a political adoption into the Oswell family in order to secure Asbel's future as the Lord of Lhant.

From there, Asbel ran away from home, frustrated with his father, but also daunted over Sophie's death and the political events at home. They gave chase after Asbel runs away from home and the three enroll in the Barona Knight Academy together, nicknaming them the Three Musketeers, and for seven years, friends separated from daunting dark events grew up.

The Hokage, and Inoichi hidden behind a strong Genjutsu listened and monitored them, Inoichi using his family jutsu to see the memories as the two told their story. It was a long story, and one that many would immediately assume was a fragment of someone's vivid imagination.

They learned about how the world had three large crystals called Valkines, which contain Eleth, and how Richard succumbed to darkness (later revealed to be the monster that attacked them as children, Lambda) was draining the three valkines of all their Eleth. The adventure they had together with their friends, meeting strange new characters, or how beforehand during the Fendel Invasion, Sophie who supposedly died had returned back to the living the same young age as when they were eleven years old.

They learned of how monsters roamed the world, that those capable of using magic cast techniques referred to as Artes, Prince Richard's falling into darkness in seven years passing, the political assassination of the King of Windor by a traitor, the aftermaths of the events, and Aston Lhant, the late Lord of Lhant who took Naruto and Hinata in, were killed during an invasion of the country. They learned of the world and how different the political scene was versus the political scenes of the Elemental Nations.

The story took an even wilder turn when they told of how the world they grew up in was in reality a world created by ancient people of Fodra, when the other planet was dying and abandoned, and the space shuttle left behind by Pascal's ancestors was discovered. Or how the entire group when the world descended into chaos after the location of Lastalia (which led to the planet's core and was originally a target of Lambda) was sealed off by the possessed Richard's barrier, took the space shuttle to pierce through the Aquasphere that surrounds Ephinea to reach the larger planet Ephinea orbited, called Fodra, and the events that transpired on the larger planet's dying surface.

The tale soon ended when Naruto explained how all of them returned to Ephinea to pierce the barrier, and after long fights, a betrayal, and some rest, dove into the planet's core, fought Richard, defeated him, and saved him from Lambda who separated from the wayward prince. Asbel in the end absorbs and convinces Lambda to let him show humanity's worth, as Lambda could not be killed by normal means. And Lambda agrees before falling into a deep sleep. From there, they all went their separate ways until Hinata started another tale that continued off after their events saving Ephinea from certain destruction, of how the core of Fodra reactivated and the sentience of the core resumed its genocide of humanity, forcing them all to reunite to save the world again.

And Asbel was the hero once again who with a reawakened Lambda absorbed the core of Fodra after it was defeated in an immense battle, for Lambda to calm down the core's rage against humanity. Then, three weeks after Naruto's attempt of getting Asbel and Cheria to finally admit they loved each other, their friend Pascal created the machine to interact with a strange Eleth Glyph discovered in Fodra's underground that matched the same fūinjutsu Naruto stole as a child leading to his and Hinata's disappearance.

And now they were here, telling the Hokage their eleven year story, the adventures they had in saving a world (twice), and the experiences they learned and picked up growing up.

Certainly this was one of the strangest stories ever heard in his entire life.

"I only hope Asbel finally asks Cheria to marry him," said Naruto to Hinata.

Hinata scoffs. "Well, with the meddling you did, I have no doubt those two are already engaged."

"Like I said, Pascal would have likely done it had she not been busy for three weeks building the machine to activate the glyph I found in Fodra's underground when we went to fight the Little Queens."

"And you said Hubert found it funny..."

Naruto grins. "Well, I may have also told Richard of my plan and he replied back with two words: Do it."

Hinata face palms.

"Hey, if Richard believed it to be a great idea, who am I to argue?"

"Because he's Windor's ruling King," Hinata interjects, "Or how you and Asbel did everything you could to fulfill your pact to save Richard when Lambda took our friend's body hostage."

"You made the same pact with us, because Richard was OUR dearest friend. And when I make a promise, I tend to keep it."

Hinata leans over to kiss him on the lips. "And that's why I love you, Naruto. You may be a bit of a hot-head now and then, but you never back down from a promise you make." And here, she gives him a cheeky grin. "That and you still have your cute verbal tick."

"Now don't you start, Hinata," Naruto stops her trail of thought.

"What? Dattebayo?" she questions in an innocent manner, although her face did not reflect this so-called innocence.

Naruto blushes and Sarutobi could not help but break out into a laugh. Apparently, Naruto did indeed inherited Kushina's verbal tick, although hers was dattebane...

"I can recall how many of the female knights in training fangirls over your verbal tick while we were in the academy, or how Malik laughed every time you exclaim that during a moment of seriousness. Oh, and let's not forget how all our friends said how cute your verbal tick was. Even Sophie adopted it now and then!"

"It's supposed to be manly, ttebayo!"

"Oh, you're still my handsome manly man, Naruto," said Hinata, cooing at him and rubbing her hands along his shoulder and upper arms. She then adds, "With a cute verbal tick from childhood."

Sarutobi sobers up from his laughs. Oh, he really did need that laugh.

"Well... the hours have passed," said Sarutobi, having noted how long it took, approximately three hours. "I believe you two may leave for the night."

"It may have been eleven years for us... but is my..."

"Yes, Naruto, your apartment is still as when you left it," The Hokage answers.

The two young adults (Sarutobi still had to remember they were practically adults now and not kids) stood up, and with the weird ji picked up from the umbrella stand that was in the corner of the room, they left. Two hidden ANBU followed after the door closed via Shunshin. Inoichi steps forward from the shadows, Genjutsu dispelling.

"Did they know?"

"If they did, they did not react," answers Inoichi.

"And? Have you seen their memories?"

"They told the truth completely, even if the memories appear to be vivid. They did indeed experience all that they told us," said Inoichi. "I wouldn't have believed it if I had seen the memories; of a group of people fighting against strange and terrifying monsters, dragons, wielding this magic to use their Artes Techniques..."

"And?"

Inoichi looks to his Hokage. "They hold loyalties to themselves, and those they befriended and fought alongside saving the other world. They hold memories of their days before the incident they were... teleported... however, if I am to be perfectly honest, sir: Naruto and Hinata may be considered flight risks. Growing up outside Konoha would have changed their loyalties, if their training they received in this knight academy did not do such already. They hold a deep respect for this King Richard, and they are extremely loyal to their friends. The memories I have scanned showed such."

Sarutobi puffs on his pipe, savoring the flavored tobacco, before exhaling the smoke into the air.

This certainly puts a damper on some things. However, it left him with some options; clearly Naruto was much older, wiser, and capable of handling himself if another person raised him and Hinata as part of his own family even without the linking of bloodlines, taught him things he couldn't do due to his... secret...

But that there also brought another problem: the young man doesn't even know that he holds in him one of the most powerful of the nine tailed demons in the Elemental Countries. And grew up never knowing of the creature sealed into him at birth by his biological father...

"Inoichi, you're free to go home for the night."

The sun had since set and night had befallen the village. Inoichi bows to the Hokage before exiting through the door, leaving the old man to his thoughts. He sends one of his other ANBU to contact Hiashi and request him to appear in his office immediately. Five minutes later, there was a knock upon his door.

"Enter."

The door opened, and revealed the face of Hiashi Hyuuga.

Now came the hard part: telling a father his daughter returned aged eleven years older.

=0=0=0=0=

Naruto's apartment was still where he left it.

Opening the door, the room he stayed at was... somewhat clean. The bed was small, but the oversized old couch from the street several years ago was still where it was last put. The interconnected kitchen area was there with the stove and the pot to make ramen. The shelves had likely expired ramen packs. And the fridge expired foods. In fact, there was no electricity running through the room, having been shut off for four years. That also meant the plumbing wasn't working, due to similar reasons. But, it was still an old familiar place for Naruto in his young age before the _World Warp_ incident, as Hinata pegged it.

"Well... Pascal got us back home..."

"Yeah... but I'm going to miss everybody," said Hinata.

"Well, we've always wanted to find a way to go back home, and now we're home."

It was true. The strange world of Ephinea wasn't theirs. But Aston raised them, gave them a place to live. The man practically became the father figure Naruto never had as he was born an orphan, and Kerri was the mother figure he needed. Even after Aston died in the invasion of Fendel, they still had Kerri, who loved them as if they were her own flesh and blood. And throughout the adventure they had, growing up in Ephinea, they still kept their original promise: to find a way to return home...

"Naruto... if things don't go over well... can we find a way to return to Ephinea?"

Naruto grabs his girlfriend's hands and squeezes them. "Hinata... if we can't find our place here in the world we were born in, I promise you I'll find a way to get us back to Ephinea..."

Hinata kisses him deeply, and Naruto slips his arms around his girlfriend, pulling her towards the couch they fall onto.

"Knowing your smarts, Naruto, you'd likely remember the design of the glyph we found while entering the core of Fodra," said Hinata in-between sweet kisses.

"Or there's a copy somewhere in this world to be discovered... how do we know the ancient Amarcians haven't tinkered with the thought of other worlds existing?"

"The same chances of a brat messing with things he didn't understand about," Hinata replies, reminding her lover of the rather innocent mistake made that sent them on that eleven year journey through Ephinea.

"I grew up, didn't I?"

Hinata giggles. "Only because I kept you in line, honey..."

"I wonder what I'd do without you, babe..."

She smacks him on the chest. "Don't think such things... if I didn't look after you, you would have been alone."

"You mean stalking me?"

"I was not stalking you," she responds.

"Babe... you were stalking me. But I'm glad you did."

"Oh, being dragged to a new world with the only boy who saved me from bullies when I was younger is thanks?"

"You know what I mean."

She lays her head on his chest, as his arms possessively wrap around the smack of her back.

"Of course, honey. I'm glad I did follow you... I doubt I'd know what life would be like if you were gone..."

"I know, Hinata," he replies in a soft whisper, the tones of love echoing in his speech.

"But what about becoming ninja? It'll be weird for two eighteen year olds whom were previously royal knights for the Kingdom of Windor to change professions," Hinata tells Naruto.

That would be ironic. Once upon a time, Naruto desired to become a ninja, so he could one day take the hat from old man Hokage, and become the greatest Hokage in the world.

"Do you still desire the title?" she questions.

"I don't even know anymore, Hinata..."

"Well, whatever you choose, I'm at your side, our weapons at the ready."

"Evil falling to our might, the knights of Windor shining bright..."

Asbel wasn't here, so his quote couldn't be spoken.

"Usually Asbel would have talked already." Humor laced Naruto's voice. "But..."

"We are the Three Musketeers..."

Naruto laughed. "It was such a cheesy title we used..."

Their shared laughter soon died as the two young adults lay there, basking in each other's warmth and the memories of the eleven years living in Ephinea.

"We'll see what happens," said Hinata, closing her eyes.

"Yeah," Naruto agreed, voice a soft whisper.

They fell asleep, dreaming of white clouds, magic, and their cherished friends and the adventures and misadventures shared, unaware of the changes they had brought to Konoha, and by large, the Elemental Nations. How different?

Who knows...

* * *

**If I find any more reasons to make additions, I shall. This was to get it off my mind, so I can focus on other things. Plunnies ARE vicious little buggers...**


	2. Sparring of the Artes

**Tales of Graces n**

**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto is the owner and creator of the world of Naruto, and all of its official characters. Namco Bandai Games/Namco Tales Studio and Hideo Baba are owner and creator of the world of Tales of Graces, and all its official characters. I do not own anything else forgotten in this disclaimer.

**Author's Note:** Another chapter. Enjoy.

* * *

There was a knocking on the door, rousing Naruto and Hinata from sleep. The electricity still was off, so they didn't know what time it was. However, considering that they always woke up early at the first hint of sunlight, they were not all disturbed by the morning knocking upon the door. Hinata was the person who answers the door after snapping some kinks from her body (sleeping with someone on a couch does put knots in one's body), seeing a nondescript shinobi wearing a bear-designed ANBU mask.

"Hinata Hyuuga and Naruto Uzumaki, you are required to see the Hokage immediately," the ANBU delivers the message before vanishing via Shunshin no Jutsu.

"You heard?"

"Yeah, I did," Naruto answers, finishing getting some kinks out of his body.

"So... shall we?"

"Yeah. Let me grab my hidden stash of money first."

Naruto went to a secret compartment and removing a false floor board, takes out a frog-shaped wallet, which was stuffed to the brim with bills.

"It was mine before the _World Warp Incident_. I left it here eleven years ago..."

Hinata smiled. "Well, we'll need it when we're eating out for breakfast. Why not the ramen shop you spoke so fondly of?"

"Sure babe. We're off to see the wizard!"

Hinata laughed. "You mean the Hokage, right?"

"That too," he added.

The two leave the apartment complex, sharing laughter over a joke only they understand...

=0=0=0=0=

While Sarutobi tended to do his duties at the Hokage Tower, as it was close to graduation time, he was at the mission hall building adjacent of the academy. This is where a Jōnin escorted Naruto and Hinata to.

Sarutobi looks up, smiling softly. "You've arrived. Good."

"So, we were told to see you, sir," said Hinata, using polite tones when addressing a superior.

The training at the Barona Knight Academy does tend to make one more formal in address. And Sarutobi of course picked up the formal tone in the woman's voice, one of addressing someone higher of rank than the person you're addressing. He stands from his seat, setting his pipe down and beckons the two to follow.

"Now Naruto, Hinata, it's still quite a shock that the story you have told me was very vivid, but I have no reason to suspect you are lying. After all, there is no technique in the world that can age a person rapidly." As they left the office, Sarutobi was leading them down a hallway.

"So, what is this about, Lord Hokage?" asks Naruto.

Sarutobi was a bit surprised by the formal addressing, but did not stop in his answering. "Well, considering that your tale, while vivid, is all true, and that the two of you are in a sense back home, I was hoping the two of you still desired to become shinobi."

Naruto and Hinata look at one another.

"Well, sir, the original promise we made eleven years ago has been completed, which is going home. And considering we've saved the world twice, it would be... something of a funny demotion."

Sarutobi held a soft smile, one of humor as he understood just how one would likely see this being a funny situation. World saviors to ninja performing D-Class Missions...

"And we've talked about it when we were falling asleep. We would like to enter the ninja academy."

Sarutobi nods, withdrawing two hitai-ate from his sleeves and handing them to the two young adults.

"I thought you'd say that. I'm glad I thought ahead. However, I would still like a formal demonstration of the skills you two have picked up from the other world. And I would also like it to be a public affair," Sarutobi informs the two adults.

"How public?"

"The current graduating class, and the Jōnin for each future three man squad," was the answer.

Sarutobi hears them whispering to one another, low whispers. The two have great trust in one another, he noted. It would be a bit hard to see where their official allegiances really lie. If what Inoichi theorized, even if they have somehow returned home from another dimension or world, the allegiances they had built in the other world is still in their minds. They agreed to be shinobi, but how loyal are they: to Konoha completely, or to certain people?

"We'll accept. It'll be interesting to see how shinobi tactics work against us," said Hinata, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"So long as we don't go overboard, babe," Naruto tells Hinata. "Although, how strong can a ninja handle a Level One Eleth Burst?"

"We'll have to find out, Naruto," said Hinata.

_Level One Eleth Burst?_ questions the Hokage in thought.

The rest of the short trek was quiet, although Sarutobi ordered two ANBU that came to his calling to gather the Jōnin for this year's graduation class to show up at the academy sparring ground immediately (and to drag a Kakashi by force if he's being lazy). They stand at a door the Hokage led the two adults to, and opens up the door to a classroom. All chatting voices in the class immediately went silent. The students of the class expected one of their senseis to show up. Instead, they were given a surprise when it was the Hokage who showed up. Naruto and Hinata quietly follow the old man inside, Hinata closing the door once she stepped through, and each one move to either side of the Hokage.

The stance they took was rigid, just like a samurai standing at attention in defense of their leader, and their hands clasped in position behind their backs; it spoke loudly of protectors or guards. Hinata and Naruto were simply keeping the Hokage safe even though it likely wouldn't be needed. For Sarutobi, just another glimpse into the studying and training his wayward grandson-to-be (Sarutobi always considered himself Naruto's grandfather) and Hiashi's daughter underwent in the other world.

And of course the outfits that they were wearing were so bizarre for onlookers. You'd say they looked ridiculous, but the neutral looks the two adults held kept few from speaking aloud on their choice of outfits. Naruto and Hinata originally wore customized knight uniforms, while Asbel chose the all white assemble that he wore when their adventure started into saving the world.

A minute later of silence, the door opens again and in steps the class's sensei, Iruka Umino.

"Alright students, sorry I'm late. I got held up-" And Iruka notices the Hokage was in the room, smiling his grandfatherly smile. He immediately bowed to the man. "Hokage-sama! I didn't know you'd be here."

"No worries, Iruka-san," Sarutobi calms the man down, chuckling a bit. "I'm only here with two of our newest shinobi that will be joining this generation."

"Sir?"

"Go on, why don't you introduce yourselves to the class," Sarutobi directed his question towards the two young adults that stood at his sides.

Iruka stared at them, wondering what kind of bizarre clothes they were wearing. Then again, he's seen worse...

The two move to the front of the classroom.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki, former knight of Windor Kingdom."

"I am Hinata Hyuuga, former knight of Windor Kingdom."

The whispers sprung up the moment Hinata revealed her last name. She's a Hyuuga? And what's this Windor Kingdom?

"It has to do with the incident from yesterday, Iruka. I can't explain much more. However, they have agreed to become Konoha shinobi, and they have unknown skills that will be tested later. I will be there to assess them personally when they spar against some of our elite Jōnin," Sarutobi tells Iruka.

"Of course, Hokage-sama," Iruka acknowledges.

Naruto and Hinata stand at attention by the Hokage once more, as the man stands there and listens to the graduation speech that was always spoken to each potential Genin team. Then he started reading off names and their assigned teacher. The important listings were Team Seven consisting of Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Natsu Ryuu, Team Eight consisting of Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Yuri Ng, and Team Ten consisting of Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Chōji Akimichi. Everyone else don't matter storyline wise.

An ANBU appears via Shunshin and whispers something into the Hokage's ear, before vanishing again in a Shunshin.

"If the teams have been named, all of us will convene to the Academy Training Grounds. Your Jōnin-senseis have been brought there," reported the Hokage. He looks to Naruto and Hinata. "Follow me you two."

The three left. Iruka looks to his class.

"Well, you heard the Hokage; let us head to the Academy Training Grounds."

=0=0=0=0=

The graduated Genin arrived with Iruka-sensei. There were several Jōnin, likely their new assigned senseis. Keen observers would note how this was appearing to be a demonstrated public affair, as in the academy sparring circle was the two older teenagers in their strange clothes, Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga.

Already they were sparring, as the Hokage, noted in Sasuke's view, was watching their movements with sharp eyes. The Hyuuga wielded large silver/gold rings that have a sharpened edge, against the Uzumaki's strangely-shaped gold bone dagger weapons. The Uzumaki had a pole weapon secured to the back by unknown means and not in use.

A poof of smoke erupts and Naruto and Hinata stoop fighting one another, as two ANBU arrived with a disgruntled man with a face mask and spiky gray/white hair.

"We brought Kakashi, Hokage-sama," said the ninja with the cat mask.

"Thank you, Tora. You and Kuma are dismissed."

The two ANBU vanish.

"Nice to join us, Kakashi."

"I was busy, Hokage-sama," said Kakashi, pocketing a small orange-covered book.

"Likely," said the Sandaime, not believing the excuse. "Naruto, Hinata."

Kakashi turned around, and then he froze. _Minato-sensei...?_

"Yes, Lord Hokage?" the two teens speak up.

"This is Kakashi Hatake. He and three others will be your opponents to determine your skill set you've picked up in Ephinea."

"And the others?"

"Kurenai Yūhi, Hayate Gekkō, and Asuma Sarutobi."

The mentioned step from the crowds to join Kakashi.

"Yes, sir," they respond.

_Ephinea? I never heard of this land before,_ thought Kakashi. No doubt similar lines of thought were echoing in the other Jōnin's attending here. Kakashi stares at Naruto, still in disbelief at how eerily the young man resembled Minato-sensei. The boy sure has grown...

_That must be a Hyuuga,_ thought Asuma, seeing the girl with the trademark eyes of the Hyuuga Clan.

_What does Hokage-sama desire regarding these two teenagers?_ Kurenai was thinking, standing next to Asuma.

"Now, this will be an exhibition sparring of Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga versus Kakashi Hatake, Kurenai Yūhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and Hayate Gekkō," the Hokage announces.

There was some murmuring from the older adults of the academy's faculty, when Naruto's full name was announced. None of the blinded dare not say anything regarding "the secret" while the Hokage himself was in public.

"These four will test you in your skills you have, understood?"

"Yes sir," the teens respond professionally, as they stand on the opposite side of the field from the four ninjas.

The Hokage looks to the competitors, raising a hand up to the air. "Begin!"

Naruto was the first to initiate the duel, sprinting fast towards the four. A jump kick was dodged but Naruto blocks punches and kicks, countering and lashing out with precise jabs at areas of the human body pain is most received. Kurenai broke away and attacks Hinata, but she counters her moves with fluid-like dance, using the smallest of exertion to dodge, and then lashing out like a serpent with her kicks. Hinata draws out two tags from out of nowhere and throws them at Kurenai, who uses the **Kawarimi no Jutsu** (Body Replacement Technique) to dodge. Kurenai reappears away, as the log of wood explodes from the tags that impacted the log. Two strikes from Asuma and Kakashi is blocked, before Naruto ducks low with a leg sweep the older men dodged. But Asuma was the one Naruto targets next.

Asuma got a spinning jump kick from Naruto's left heel, but he follows the revolution by kicking the man with the other foot. But as he reaches the apex of his jump and starts to descend, Naruto completed another revolution in-air, the momentum adding greater pain and damage with his left foot stuck out and the heel of his boot smashing against the side of his face, sending him crashing painfully. Naruto stuck his landing effortlessly, kicking into a backward somersault as Hinata's razor ring weapons buzz saw through the air, forcing Kurenai, Kakashi, and Hayate to dodge. Hinata immediately follows after her thrown weapons, running under Naruto who sticks the landing on his feet again cat-like, and then charges in towards Kakashi, drawing his dagger weapons.

Kakashi would immediately block and start countering, channeling white chakra into a pair of ordinary kunai. Naruto had good experience with fighters who use short-range weapons and he was not going to allow the man to get an easy victory. Hinata's weapons boomerang back towards her as she nearly breaks Kurenai's blocking defense, spinning, catching, and slicing at Hayate, sparks flying as sharpened steel meets sharpened steel. She kicks up, using Hayate as a spring board, spinning upside down as the blade rings are holstered and four paper tags appear in each of her hands and thrown down at the ground.

BOOM!

The tags all explode.

Kurenai and Hayate of course like seasoned Jōnin dodge the explosion tags she utilizes.

"**Demon Fang**!" Hinata suddenly cries out, as she lashes out with her right arm like throwing a lariat. A wave of pinkish energy like a sharpened tooth fang slices the air. Hayate blocked but his defense was broken by the strange jutsu.

This got all eyes on the sudden and rather foreign technique. Landing, she somersaults in place, right leg lashing out, with a cry of, "**Demon Kick**!" sending a leg-based energy wave slicing along the ground.

Kurenai barely got out of the attack path. Hinata ducks, lashing out with a high back heel kick catching Hayate in the face. She twists on the same heel, smashing her leg against his arm and dislocating it. That got him to lose one of his swords. She grabs hold of the fallen blade and slices at him, drawing first blood. She back flips away, dodging the trench knives held by a recovered Asuma. Asuma dashes after her, as Kurenai used the Shunshin no Jutsu to pincer her from behind. But Hinata smiled darkly, grip tightened on the handle of Hayate's stolen weapon.

"**Blossoming Illumination**!"

Hinata spun in a full revolution, the sword stuck out at full length. A powerful whirlwind of rose red energy surrounded her, with luminous flashes of rose pink trailing from the sword. A trace of rose petals materialized from the attack, and Kurenai and Asuma were totally caught off-guard by the strange ninjutsu, taking the full brunt of the attack. When she stopped at a kneeling crouch, sword positioned in a battōjutsu stance, the falling rose petals faded when they touched the ground. Naruto kicks Kakashi in the gut, before sprinting towards Hinata's side and sheathing the daggers, draws forth the ji off his back.

Asuma, Kakashi, Kurenai, and Hayate regrouped. Hayate had a dislocated left shoulder, Kurenai and Asuma showed signs of cuts on their clothes and thin lines of blood were drawn. The blood drawn on Hayate was a bit worse than Asuma and Kurenai's, as his flak jacket was cut open by the swinging slash of his stolen blade. As for Kakashi, he looked the best out of the four, aside being a bit winded from the sudden and rather forceful kick to the midsection that briefly knocked the wind out of him. He only shows minor scratches and cuts from the kunai and dagger duel they had.

Naruto charges the four, as the blade of the ji suddenly glows with a blue aura, as a fog-like frost follows its trajectory.

"**Frost Breaker**!"

This was one of Asbel's Artes Naruto trained into use for his own Artes list, with altered success. Whereas Asbel had an actual sword to create a larger wave of freezing ice when slashing, Naruto's ji only has a shorter blade, but the reach was longer. The freezing slash was still dangerous, in which it worked to deter them. Kunai are thrown but Naruto expertly strikes down the projectiles or dodges them. As this happened, a magic circle shined under Hinata's feet.

"North winds blowing encase the foes in crystal blue!" Hinata chanted, as her magical aura shined from her body, "**Freezing Blast**!"

The skies darkened briefly as the summer air quickly turned cold, and the training field was assaulted by a sudden blast of chilling wind that strikes a general area of the Jōnin. Then an explosion of ice erupts, surprising everyone. When the air warmed and the brief darkened sky returned to its normal bright conditions, it was apparent whatever Hinata did have a working effect. The four Jōnin had large chunks of ice clinging to their bodies and clothes and hair. The worse of the group was Kakashi who had more ice effectively immobilizing use of his arms and legs. Not to mention the shock and pain from the spell's effect affecting them.

"What kind of jutsu was that?" Asuma shouted, trying to get rid of the clinging ice on his body. It hurt like hell.

"It wasn't a ninjutsu. I don't think they're using chakra at all," Kurenai theorized aloud.

Naruto moved at them again.

"Technically, that was magic," Naruto answers, clarifying some things, before swinging the pole end of the ji and knocking Asuma out cold. Then, he thrusts the pole end of the weapon right into Hayate's crotch, doubling him over, and then a raised leg and he's seeing stars when the heel of his boot crashes on top of the head.

This left a half-frozen Kakashi and injured Kurenai left to battle.

Naruto regroups with Hinata, who was already chanting away for a healing arte, hands clasped in the traditional ninja hand seal and eyes closed. Her magic aura shined around her body, giving her an otherworldly ethereal appearance. Hayate's stolen sword was stabbed in the ground on her right, discarded.

"Hear me tiny sprites, and shine with your loving radiance," she chants. A small circle of light is drawn in a counter-clockwise fashion underneath both Hinata and Naruto, shining a radiant green and yellow in strange foreign glyphs and sigils. Her eyes snap open as her hands part sharply to her sides, index and middle fingers extended. "**Pixie Circle**!"

The runic magical circle then flashes with a brilliant aura, bathing the couple with a green glow similar to the Mystic Palm technique, before the rune and the bathing green aura on the teenagers vanish. The couple suddenly looked refreshed.

How was that even possible?

Hinata draws her Blade Rings one more time, holding them outward at the sides. Naruto crouches, ji pointed towards Kakashi and Kurenai before the blade is reversed in hold, the sharp side pointing to the sky, and the tip stabs into the dirt.

"**Jawbreaker**!"

With a forceful slice upward, earthen magic is channeled in the ground and a shock wave of stone spikes race towards Kurenai and Kakashi. Kakashi sacrifices himself to push Kurenai out of harm's way, taking the brunt of the damage. This freed him from his icy half-prison, but it injures him.

Suddenly the wind turns violent as the clouds darken the sky once more. Magic was filling the air as the couple reaches an Eleth Burst. A magical aura once more shines around both teens, but the auras flared like a raging inferno. Naruto's aura shined a fierce golden orange color, while Hinata's was a pinkish lavender radiance.

"Time to finish this," Hinata shouts out.

Hinata charges Kurenai. Kurenai finished the last hand seal and shouts out one of her trademark Genjutsu. However, Hinata shatters through the Genjutsu easily, and lashes out with a kick. Still grasping the Blade Rings, she rapidly slashes and cuts Kurenai up, adding in punches and kicks. She somersaults back a far distance, crouches, and then rockets towards her with a boosting spring of her next step. With a scream, and sheathing of her Blade Rings, her aura made her look like a human fireball as she slams her fist right into Kurenai's midsection.

"**Final Fury**!" she roars, and the force of momentum launches Kurenai clear out of the training ring, smashes into an unsuspecting Chūnin in the crowds, and then smashing through a wall of one of the empty academy rooms.

Hinata rolls into a crouching position, as the darkened atmosphere brightens up again, the wind bursts faded, and both competitors lost their magical surge, Eleth Burst used up with Hinata using a Level One Mystic Arte.

Sarutobi saw enough and raised his hand up, stopping the match. He did not want to see his three best Jōnin and recently promoted Jōnin suffer anymore injuries. But the power of their Artes, their "magic attacks", really was amazing and a jaw dropper rolled in one. He could see how such techniques could make the enemy believe it to be new ninjutsu or some type.

"I believe the win obviously goes to Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuuga," the Hokage announces, and then he calls for some medics. It was great that the Hokage also had the wellbeing to call for some of their Medic-Nins from the hospital to attend this sparring match.

A horrified silence...

Naruto jogs up to Hinata's side as she stands and together they look to the Hokage.

"Satisfied of our skills?"

The old man nods. He was impressed. "Yes. I am." He did tell his Jōnin to test them. They likely went easy on the couple and paid the price for underestimating two world saviors (not that anybody but him, some of his loyal ANBU, and Inoichi know of it).

"Good," replied Hinata, "however that was just novice Artes we used, as well as built enough for a Level One Eleth Burst."

Wait... NOVICE!? Sarutobi did a double back at that, but the seriousness on their faces tells it all. Anyone else would believe it to be chakra that empowered their techniques, not this magic force the two teens have adapted into using since their trek in the other world. Anyone who fought against them would be caught off-guard by their Artes they have knowledge of. Likely a Hyuuga may note early they didn't use chakra at all. And if what was inflicted upon Jōnin Yūhi was a Level ONE Eleth Burst attack... how much worse were they if they went all out?

"We should heal them, Naruto."

"Are you strong enough? You use some of your magic when you performed the Level One Mystic Arte on that Kurenai woman," said Naruto, concern in his voice.

She smacks him in the chest with a backhand.

"I'm strong enough. Sophie did teach me how to use the Cure spell, after all."

Naruto looks amused as the Medic-nins had gathered the four Jōnins and were using their medical ninjutsu to start the healing.

"Hinata-san, what are you-"

"Let her do this, Lord Hokage," Naruto calls him out, as she joins Hinata's side.

They got noticed when she walks up to the Medic-nins. She closed her eyes and clasps her hands in a standing praying pose. Her magical aura started to shine forth once again, a heavenly green glow.

"Gather light of life, impart us with your healing glow, and mend the body and the mind! **Cure**!"

A very large runic circle that encompasses the injured shines forth, and a blazing aura of healing magic fills all four and the Medic-nins. Cuts, bruises, broken or sprained areas, dislocations; all of them were healed almost immediately. The two unconscious Jōnin, Asuma and Hayate, also regained consciousness. The Medic-nins felt... charged up... feeling the healing magic also affects them even though they weren't injured at all.

Being within the field of effect, Naruto and Hinata was fully rejuvenated as well.

"Amazing," Sarutobi whispered, as his four Jōnin were sitting up. The Medic-nins were in awe, examining them over, and whispering in disbelief.

"You know Naruto, we never had any food yet ever since we woke up," Hinata reminds her lover.

Naruto smiles to his beloved. "Hinata, I know the perfect place one can get a great meal," he says, making her giggle.

"Don't tell me it's that ramen shop you always spoke about?"

"The ramen flavors in Ephinea are good, but Ramen Ichiraku outshines it all," he says with a boast of pride, smacking a closed fist against his chest.

"You and your ramen... I swear, you got a bad addiction like Asbel and curry," she tells him off.

"And what about you and your glazed cinnamon rolls?" he taunts back, grinning as Hinata's cheeks turn a light red. "You even lick the dripping gooey white frosting when you pick up a cinnamon bun drenched in it, almost sexually." And he grunts as she slams a fist right into his stomach, taking the wind out of him. He coughed roughly, as a now fully blushing Hinata left the area. Despite the pain, Naruto laughs, as he recovers whilst giving chase after his girlfriend.

Sarutobi sighs.

Looks like Hinata had adopted her mother's love for glazed cinnamon rolls much like Naruto's love for ramen coming from his mother. He'll speak with the couple later. Right now, he had an audience of potential (in awe) Genin to address. Said Genin teams were wondering who these two older teenagers were with their strange ninjutsu. Several were more into the mystery of the two. Two of such Genin was Shikamaru Nara, and Sasuke Uchiha.

* * *

**I say I did my best regarding the fight scene. The four Jōnin chosen to battle were just caught off-guard by the Artes Naruto and Hinata used in the friendly battle. After all, the Hokage had told them to test them. But they won't underestimate the two teenagers next time.  
**

**Some of the Artes used are original. Pixie Circle, Demon Fang, and Cure are the official spells used in the game. Final Fury is from Tales of Xillia.  
**

**And yes, Hinata has a bad addition to glazed cinnamon buns like Naruto to ramen.**


End file.
